Evacuation of Harvest, Part 1
by Joddity
Summary: As the covenant disease spreads throughout the universe, it stumbles upon a human colony based on a small planet, Harvest.  Marines begin to evacuate the towns and cities, attempting to save civilians and safely transport them to planet Earth and Reach.


Planet Harvest.

"All civilians and non military workers, please report to the docking bays, All civilians and non military workers please report to the docking bays"

The message echoed over and over again, with a three second gap in-between, the message echoed out of several loud speakers scattered around the small town.

Immediately noise erupted and dozens of civilians were rushing out of their houses, small suitcases and children clutched in their hands.

Marines stood at the corners of the street with missile pod turrets poised up at the sky, while at the same time directing the people and stopping cars.

A young marine halted a car.

The marine had short black hair, a smudge of dirt on his cheek and wore standard UNSC marine helmet and assault vest.

The marine walked up to the driver's window, just as it descended, revealing an old man with a white beard inside.

" What is it?" The old man asked in a tired voice.

"I'm afraid you cannot drive your vehicle down this street sir" The marine said in a confident voice, "The roads have been cleared for civilians and military vehicles"

"So you can drive your cars down there and i can't?" The old man said defiantly "I've lived here for thirty-eight years!

"I appreciate that sir, but we have to get people out of this area, it is believed high concentrations of covenant forces are-"

"Ah i don't care…" The old man interrupted "So long, cowboy"

The old man's car reversed and drove away down the road.

The marine went and leaned against the sandbags that had been laid next to the missile pod the day before.

"Damn" An African marine said "That old man sure as hell didn't like you Dan"

"Ah, he's just mad Makai" Dan said "I'd be angry if i had to leave my home too"

Makai wore a military cap with the broad letters: UNSC stitched into it, and wore a chest rig, stuffed with mags, and cigarettes.

"So i take it you were mad when you joined up?"

"Which kind of mad?"

"Both!"

The two marines laughed just as their Sergeant walked over.

The sergeant was carrying a custom assault rifle, wore a standard UNSC helmet and had a dozen grenades and magazines on his body, the assault rifle had an M203 grenade launcher instead of the torch on it.

"Alright listen up you mugs" The sergeant said in a deep british accent; "We've been ordered to move into the town and check if all the civvies have vacated their buildings"

"But who will man the gun sir?" The marine on the missile pod asked.

"You can stay here and man it, but Dan and Makai, you're with me"

The sergeant beckoned at the two marines who were leaning up against the sandbags.

"Yes sir!" Dan stepped forward.

"Don't forget your weapon Private" The sergeant pointed.

There lay Dan's weapon, his DMR, two magazines lay next to it.

"Sorry Sarge" Dan blushed and gritted his teeth.

"Hurry the hell up you two!" The sergeant started walking away.

"Come on Dan!" Makai urged at Dan as he picked up his assault rifle.

Dan grabbed the DMR and stuffed the two mags for it in his utility pouch before running after the Sergeant and Makai.

The three marines walked up to the front door of the first house, a small house identical to the rest on the street, all had 3 bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen and a bathroom.

The sergeant rapped on the door and stood patiently, rapped his hand on the door harder this time, no answer.

"Sergeant Davis sir?" Makai spoke up.

"What is it Makai?" The sergeant turned around.

"Should we breach the door just to make sure?"

"Well Gee Makai, i was just going to go on trust" The sergeant remarked sarcastically as he kicked in the door and drew out his pistol.

Makai looked at Dan, Dan shrugged and smiled as he walked in after the sergeant.

Dan walked into the kitchen where the sergeant was looking around, he fired two shots into the ceiling.

"god damn!" Makai jumped back.

"Grow a pair Makai!" Sergeant Davis glared; "House is clear, move out.

The marines marched out of the house, the sergeant stopped.

"Makai, Dan, you two split up and check those two houses, i'll check the one over here"

"Roger that sir" Dan saluted and ran off.

"You got it" Makai sighed and ran toward the other house.

Dan knocked on the door of the house, no answer, he slammed his entire weight against the door, it stood still.

"Dammit…" He groaned holding his left shoulder, he looked around and spotted a window.

He smashed the glass with the butt of his rifle and climbed in.

Makai looked across the street and observed Dan climbing in through the window, he shook his head as he kicked in his door.

Dan crouched at the bottom of the stairs and pointed his rifle around.

"Hello?" He yelled "Is anyone here?"

The house was silent.

Dan turned around and opened the door back onto the street, he looked down the street and saw the sergeant escorting a woman with her two children out of the door.

"Sergeant!" He yelled, his shout echoing around the street.

The sergeant turned to look at him.

"What private?" His voice echoed as well.

"Shall i check the next house?"

"Yes! go!"

Dan turned and marched straight to the next house and knocked on the door.

The door opened, the old man that had been stopped at the roadblock stood looking at him.

"Not you again…" The old man groaned; "What the hell do you want?"

"Sir you HAVE to vacate the premisses immediately" Dan said, trying to sound confident, but in actual fact he was made nervous by the old man.

"Listen here cowboy" The old man stepped forward; "I ain't leaving my house, i've lived here longer than you've been alive, so leave me be!"

The old man started to shut the door, Dan wedged his foot in the way.

"Sir please! The covenant are on their way right now!" Dan pleaded.

The old man opened the door and stepped forward again.

"Listen kid!" The old man started, but he was interrupted by the sound of an energy pulse.

A covenant banshee zoomed over the building, firing a green blast into the house opposite.

"Holy crap!" Dan screamed as he threw himself to the floor.

Dan looked up and saw that the old man had shut his door, he turned and looked down the street, sergeant Davis was yelling at him.

"Private! get! to some cover! now!"

Dan scrambled to his feet grabbing his DMR, the two mags fell out of the utility pouch, dan turned and scrabbled on the floor picking them up just as the banshee flew past again firing another blast at Dan.

The blast flew and blew open the front of the old man's house sending Dan flying back.

Sound of gunfire exploded through the air, both human and covenant bullets were flying into the air.

Sergeant Davis looked up the street and saw Dan fly to the floor.

"God dammit" He gritted his teeth "Makai!"

"Yes sir!" Makai cried as he ran out of a house, pushing a woman with her child into the street.

"Go check on Davis! get him to some cover!"

"Roger that sir!"

Makai let go of the woman and ran down the street, skidding to the side of Dan, who was lying flat on his back dazed, his face was dirty and bits of smouldering brick was scattered around him.

"Come on cowboy" Makai urged Dan up "We gotta get you to some cover"

Dan looked at the house and saw through a large hole, the old man running upstairs.

"Come on" Dan got up "Let's go"

Dan climbed into the old man's house, shortly followed by Makai and they headed upstairs.

Dan opened the first door on his left and saw the old man was rummaging around in his draws.

"Scuse me, sir?" Dan opened the door further; "We have to go NOW"

The old man continued rummaging, then stopped, he retrieved a small wooden box with a lock on it, the key hanging on the end of the lock.

"Dan, i'll be down the hall man" Makai said.

"Okay" Dan murmured.

The old man opened the box and retrieved a military SMG and stuffed two mags for it in his coat pocket.

Dan stepped back in astonishment, he had only just noticed on the top of the draws there was a picture, in the picture there was a younger version of the old man, wearing spartan body armour holding a Mark V helmet by his side.

The old man turned and smiled at him.

"Let's get the hell out of here Marine"

"Yes sir!" Dan said.

The roar of the banshee went overhead again and an explosion was heard, and then another.

"More banshee's!" Makai's voice echoed down the hall.

"How many son?" The old man yelled back.

"two, three! oh jesus there's five!"

"Let's move" The old man cocked his SMG and marched out of the room.

"Makai!" Dan yelled "Let's go!"

Makai ran out of one of the rooms and followed them both down the stairs.

As soon as the got downstairs the saw and explosion hit the building opposite, crippling the building and causing half of it to collapse.

The old man turned to Dan.

"Pretty soon ground forces will be arriving, we'd better get moving"

"Wait!" Makai crouched "Listen!"

A low plasma humming was heard overhead, and a shadow of a ship came into view on the street.

"Damn!" The old man stepped back; "We're too late…"

Dan looked at the old man's grimaced face and makai's terrified eyes, he cocked his DMR.

Outside, the covenant drop-ship loomed over, casting a dark shadow over the houses, it's sides opened and four reptilian like aliens known as ELITES jumped out and landed on the roofs of the nearby houses, all wearing blue armour with open helmets, carrying needle rifles.

A white Armoured elite jumped out last, he was carrying an energy sword and wore an officer's armour set.

"Spread out" He growled in his language "Kill any human you find"

A smaller covenant ally known as a Grunt on the drop-ship signalled the pilot and the drop-ship lurched away to a safe distance. The Elites climbed down from the roofs and landed softly on the floor, their large feet snapping fences and bins. The white Elite looked down the street and spotted a human, he growled and drew out his Sword.

The Human as Sergeant Davis, walking calmly down the street wielding his assault rifle, finger on the M203 trigger.

"Hello there!" He smirked "Get off my planet"

The white Elite stepped forward just as Davis fired the grenade.

The grenade zoomed down the street, bouncing twice as it did, when it reached one of the elites it exploded, the shrapnel zooming straight into its face. The Elite howled in pain, holding it's face.

"KILL IT!" The white elite screamed, pointing his sword at Davis.

The other three Elites aimed at Davis, they fired their rifles sending multiple pink needles flying at him.

Davis spun around on his foot and ran into one of the buildings.

"After it!" The white Elite snarled.

The blue elites ran toward the house, just as they did Davis fired wildly out of one of the bottom story windows, hitting one of the elites sending it stumbling back.

The other two elites fired a couple of rounds into the window, Davis let out a cry.

Davis crouched in the room, holding his arm as the pink needle glowed, imminently about to explode.

Davis grabbed the needle, and yanked it out of him (Even after being warned not to as it may blow off his hand) He threw the needle at the wall where it stuck, and 3 seconds later exploded.

Just as it exploded the two elites stepped into the room, their heavy feet dragging along the floor.

Davis fired at them, having little effect on them, they both walked up to him and yanked him to his feet.

"Let the Lieutenant have this one" One of them said to the other.

The other elite nodded and they dragged him out.

As soon as they stepped outside the third elite stood nursing it's wounds, and then smacked Davis in the face and snarled at him.

"Nice to see you too sweetheart" Davis Smirked as he continued to resist the Elites.

The Elite's dragged Davis down the street toward the white Elite, the street was silent apart from the odd grunt from Davis resistance. Dan aimed his weapon out of the second story window.

"Well human" The white elite spoke in english; "It appears your plan to evacuate the civilians before we arrived has failed"

The elite nodded up, Davis looked up in horror as one of the transport shipped fell toward the ground, flames belching out of it's sides, still being shot by banshees.

"You, you bastards…" Davis looked at the ground; "Innocent civilians"

"No Human is innocent" The white elite spat; "You are vermin, now prepare to die"

The white elite got out his sword, and looked over at the blue elite who was picking parts of shrapnel out of his face.

"He's yours, Minor" He said.

The blue elite stopped nursing his face and took the sword, he turned and snarled at Davis.

"Dan! fire!" Makai whispered into Dan's ear.

Dan fired his DMR, the bullet whizzed past the white elite's head and penetrated the blue elite's neck.

Immediately the two blue elites restraining Davis dropped him and got out their needle rifles, they crouched.

Davis grabbed his combat knife and jumped on the elite to his left, stabbing it in the side of it's neck.

The other two elites turned on him, guns aimed.

Davis rolled to the other elite and wedged the knife into his leg, while the elite howled in pain he grabbed it's plasma pistol and started charging it.

He turned and fired it at the white elite, hitting him directly in the chest.

The white elite fell in agony as the plasma burned his chest.

Just as Davis stood back up and killed the blue elite, he was grabbed from behind, the blue elite he had shot had its plasma knife in hand, with one hand he had Davis by the throat.

"Sergeant!" Dan cried as he fired his DMR at the Elite.

The Elite ignored the pain and wedged the plasma knife through the front of Davis's face.

For a moment Davis's arms still tried freeing his neck, but then they just dropped to his side, he went limp and the Elite tossed his lifeless body aside.

Makai stood up at the window and fired a burst at the elite.

The elite faced him and rolled over to the energy sword, grabbed it and ran over to the lieutenant's body.

"Get, me a medic pack" The white elite gasped.

Instead, the blue elite tore a chip out of the white elite's armour and plugged it into his.

"What are you doing you fool!" The white elite snarled.

The blue elite hit a button and turned invisible.

"Oh shit." Makai stepped back.

The old man ran to the door and started knocking things over in front of it.

"What are you doing?" Makai yelled.

"We'll see when he enters this room when he trips or moves one of those" The old man pointed his SMG at the door.

Dan just continued to look out onto the street, where Sergeant Davis lay face down, blood splattered on the pavement.

The eery silence was only broken now and again by the white elite's moans outside, the marines sat silently, waiting for the blue elite. The sounds of engines could be heard in the distance, and the wind blew softly through the window.

Suddenly, a creak.

A creak was heard on the ceiling, and the old man looked up.

"It's on the roof!" He yelled

Makai and the old man fired at the ceiling, the bullets punching holes out onto the roof, just as they finished firing a full round into it, a large piece of the ceiling and roof collapsed into the room, sending smoke everywhere.

Dan turned and sat pointing his DMR, waiting.

Once the smoke started to clear, the outline of the elite was visible by the smoke movement.

"There it is!" Dan yelled as he fired three shots at the outline.

The elite became visible and it's energy sword appeared, he swiped at the old man.

The old man swerved backward and kicked the elite hard in the leg, it was stunned, the old man took advantage of this as he punched it in the right eye. The elite fell back, dazed and stumbling.

The old man reloaded the SMG and started firing bursts at the elite who was now lying on the ground.

"You, will not, have this old spartan!" He yelled as the elite cried in agony.

The old man stopped firing and stepped out of the room.

Dan stood up and looked at Makai.

"Did he say spartan?" Makai asked.

Dan nodded and stepped out of the room.

The old man stood at the end of the hallway holding a suitcase, on top of which was a picture of some kids sat together on it.

"Guess it is time to leave marine." The old man looked around his house as they walked out the front door.

"Guess so old timer, you can get a lift with us in a pelican" Dan patted him on the back.

The three walked outside and stopped. The White elite was gone.

Dan and Makai crouched.

"Watch it…" Makai said slowly.

"Where is it…" Dan muttered.

"GAH!" The old man's suitcase dropped to the floor.

The two marines turned and saw an energy knife through the old man's chest, the white elite towering behind him.

Makai and Dan yelled in anger and fired full magazines of bullets into the Elite's stomach.

The old man fell to the floor, knocking his suitcase open, multiple pictures and clothes fell out.

The white elite fell to the floor and died, Dan kicking it in the face, over and over again.

Dan and Makai crouched by the old man's lifeless body, the suitcases spread over the floor, pictures of the old man as a child wearing strange overalls and pictures of his team and other various UNSC staff. They carried the old man and Sergeant Davis back to the Missile pod, which was now broken and covered in the blood of the private that was manning it.

"Call for Evac" Dan looked down at the old man and the sergeant.

"Roger that" Makai picked up the radio; "This is fox 38, fox 38, does anyone read me?"

The wind blew and the pictures fluttered away, the radio message continued quietly.

"All civilians and non military workers, please report to the docking bays, All civilians and non military workers please report to the docking bays"


End file.
